Joe Doniach

March 22, 2002

Dear Mr. Pinkwater,

Have you ever read the Moomin series of children’s books by Finnish author Tove Jansson? I read them as a child and also read them to my children. We all love them. The characters are a family of trolls and their assorted friends. What makes the books so unique is that the characters are real individuals, quite unlike characters in most children’s books that I find so patronizing to adults and children alike. If you do happen to read them, don’t read the latest English translations, which are awful. The best English translations are from the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

Yours,

Joe Doniach

Yes. Moomins are classics. Thanks for posting.